Student Academic/Career Time-line

Graduation may seem a long ways off, but it is never too early to start planning a career path. This represents a possible time-line of college major and career related activities for a typical UST student. Situations may differ from student to student. This time-line is designed as a tool to guide you through the process wherever you are on the career/life planning continuum.

The Career Development Center encourages students to begin this process early so that they may experience more, and less harried, options early on.

Phase I (Typically First or Sophomore Year)

Exploring your surroundings and self

• Focus on the university's required curriculum by registering for diverse courses (Humanities and fine arts, science and math, social sciences, etc.).
• Locate valuable resources such as Academic Counseling, the Center for Writing, Campus Life, and the Career Development Center. You may wish to check out UST's A to Z Index for more links.
• Make an appointment with a career specialist in the Career Development Center to assess your interests, values, personality, and explore majors and careers.
• Take inventories to examine and clarify your strengths and how those are related to various majors and career fields.
• Explore majors through the Academic Counseling website.
• Visit the campus bookstore to take a look at the required texts for various majors.
• Visit with your freshman adviser about course offerings.
• Interview people you know about their careers. (Questions and handouts are available in Career Development Resource Center.)
• Become involved in student activities.
• Look for a that interests you and may be related to a career field you are exploring.
• Make a list of student and work activities for your resume.

Phase II (Sophomore/Junior Year)

Selecting a college major and career direction

• Take introductory courses for a major you are interested in.
• Join student and professional organizations.
• Attend .
• Draft a resume.
• Secure a .
• Make an appointment with a career specialist to discuss career paths.
• Research several career options.
• Meet with an academic adviser or faculty adviser to plan coursework sequence.
• Identify what is important for you to find in a job.
• Declare your major on Major Field Day in the beginning of March if you have more than 48 credits.

Phase III (Junior/Senior Year)

Build your résumé portfolio though academic and life experiences

• Take intermediate and advanced courses that would make you marketable. Get a feel for your major.
• Check with your academic adviser early to make sure you are on track for graduation.
• Take the " Career Planning and Job Search Readiness Survey" to discover areas to prepare for when seeking internships or employment.
• Use On-Campus Interviewing or the to find an internship for next year.
• Network and attend career events.
• Check with the Alumni Association for information on Take a Tommy to Lunch, First Fridays, and the Alumni Mentorship Program.
• Attend seminars offered by the Career Development Center.
• Conduct research on employers hiring in your career field.
• Get to know professors in your major's department.
• Continue involvement with student clubs and organizations and move into leadership roles.
• Schedule an informational interview with someone in your career field.

Phase IV (Senior+ Year)

Execute your plan to attain your desired goals

• Take courses in your major that are of particular interest to you.
• Revise and update your résumé. Also, make an appointment early to go over your résumé and arrange a mock interview.
• Learn to write cover letters.
• Attend seminars offered by the Career Development Center.
• Continue to network and attend career events. Join the Alumni Sharing Knowledge group on LinkedIn.
• Visit the Resource Center or Career LibGuides online to research market trends, job search strategies, salary negotiations, interviewing skills, and resume writing.
• Collect names of people willing to be references or write letters of recommendation for graduate school.
• Participate in Fall or Spring On-Campus Interviewing and the Minnesota's Private Colleges Job Fair in February to secure a job after you graduate.